Self-assembly with varying hydrophobic centers: Synthesis of red blood cell-like basic magnesium carbonate microspheres

• RBC-like basic magnesium carbonate microspheres were synthesized via a hydrothermal method.
• The formation of microspheres was attributed to amphiphilic surfactant-participated self-assembly.
• The method can be applied to the synthesis of other carbonate or metallic oxide self-assemblies.

Basic magnesium carbonate microspheres with a red blood cell (RBC)-like appearance and diameters of ∼3 μm were synthesized by amphiphilic molecule-participated self-assembly under hydrothermal conditions. In the self-assembly, sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate served as a template for the formation of Mg(OH)2 spherical micelles and also as a reactant precursor that releases CO2 to react with Mg(OH)2. The growth of the microspheres is driven by the continuous generation of new hydrophobic centers because of the consumption of hydrophilic poles (SO3−). The surfactant-directed self-assembly can be applied to the synthesis of other carbonate or metallic oxide self-assemblies, indicating that it is a universal self-assembly method for amphiphilic molecules.

Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide